Day 31: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Well, it’s finally here, the big day. The day we have been working toward all month. Hopefully pumpkins have been carved, candy stocked, and costumes planned. I was getting last minute candy on Monday and there were many, MANY people in the aisles with cranky children asking them what they wanted to be for Halloween. Last week there were options galore, this week there are T-shirts and onesies. It will be an interesting Halloween for some people. If they were really creative children they would pick a unicorn horn and tail, with panda paws, a cape (with a hole for the really cool tail), tiara, maybe a harlequin mask, a tutu, wacky patterned leggings and sparkly shoes. Ok, maybe the mask and cape are a bit much, but it would be kinda cool to make a totally wacky costume. Oooh, that should totally be a game-show. Contestants are given a set dollar amount and a cart and have to do a supermarket dash type thing but in the slim pickins aisle of the costume department. The person with the most creative costume wins. The only criteria is that it can’t look like anything we would recognize. Oooh, I’m trademarking this. I will make millions……or at least hundreds……maybe just enough to get me next year’s costume.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed the wonderful month of October. I hope you have drank or eaten your body weight in pumpkin spiced things. I hope you visited a corn maze or three. I hope you have fun plans for the evening or day or both. I hope these rambling have broadened your October horizons and given you some joy along the way. If not, I hope they made you seem saner in comparison to me ;) I have a host of plans for the day. Main plans, back up plans, plans for if those plans take a detour. I know at the end of the night, this Cinderella will kick off her glass slippers, find an easy chair and put her feet up. I will listen to my spooky Sounds of Halloween tape one last time before bed and then drift off to sweet candy corn colored dreams. In the morning will come the bleak November, but perhaps some of the bright lights and sweet treats from October will linger.

Happy Halloween everyone! Till next year.

Day 22: Sweets and Memories

Have you ever been walking and stumbled upon a scent lingering in the air that made you stop in your tracks? A scent that caught you by complete surprise and triggered a memory or made you smile? That happened to me yesterday. It was completely random. There was no way this particular smell should have been lingering but it was, and sniffing it took me right back to my childhood.

I can't accurately describe the smell. It was a pleasant one is about as close as I can come. It smelled like the candy my grandfather used to buy at the corner store when we went for walks. Since I know that much I should be able to describe if it had caramel overtones or a chocolaty vibe, but the best I can say is that I smelled a memory.

The minute my nose came into contact with that phantom scent I was instantly transported back to standing by my grandpa at the candy counter in the corner store. The particular goodies he liked came in bins and he would fill up a small plastic sack with a mixture of them. Sometimes he even let me pick what went into the sack. There were chewy things like taffy but not. Candied orange wedges, spice drops, butterscotches and other hard candies. Hands down, those were the best candies I have ever eaten. Maybe it was because we walked a couple miles to get them. Maybe it was because of the company I was in, or the fact that my taste buds were different then. Either way, I have never been able to find those same candies since.Sure, there are the modern day equivalents. They can still be found in bins. They may even be from the same company as when I first tried them, but they just don't taste the same.

But that got me thinking about candy. On the radio last week the DJ took a poll of what were listeners favorite Halloween candies. Before that I’ve seen countless web tallies of favorite candies by state. I disagree with almost every tally or poll I hear, but when I try to think about my favorite Halloween candy I am stumped.  

I don't think I actually had, or have a favorite. Ok, that isn't true, it will always be candy corn, but you really can't compare that to other Halloween candies, so for arguments sake we will leave it out. I know what I didn't like to get in my trick or treat bag. I wasn't fond of the houses that gave out health food. That's the equivalent of getting socks and underwear for Christmas. Sure, you may need them, sure, health food may be, you know, good for you, but you don't hand it out on holidays. That's like the dentists who give out toothbrushes. Buzz kill man. I also wasn't overly fond of popcorn balls. I like them more to play with than eat. They are just too messy.

I remember when I was done trick or treating, I would come home and dump all my loot out on the floor. If it wasn't wrapped it went in the trash. If it was waxy like those lips or some of the really hideous caramels they also went in the trash. I sorted my candy by type, chocolate, fruity, gum, licorice, suckers, stuff I don't want and other. Once my piles were sorted I called my parents in and they took their share. It worked out well. Most of the time my parents loved the things that I couldn't stand and I would happily hand them over, but when it came to the good stuff, I would haggle a bit.

If I had to narrow it down, I would say that my favorite Halloween candies would be the peanut butter cups and tootsie rolls. Wow. It is kind of sad that I can't remember what candy I liked as a kid. I know I had definite favorites, but tastes change. I know that I hated Almond Joys when I was little and now I love them. I also liked pixie sticks and now I can feel my teeth rotting just looking at them. If someone had given me a package of Red Vines back then I probably would have asked if they could adopt me. Twizzlers not so much. Cheap fruity knock offs.

Isn't it interesting what we remember? I have a fuzzy recollection that I liked the candy bars best. I think probably Snickers and Hershey. Dad got the Mr. Goodbars and no one wanted the Krackle unless the candy supply was dwindling and it was the only chocolate left.

So now that I have put some semi serious thought into it, what was your favorite childhood candy? Or if you are having trouble remembering like me, what is your favorite candy now?

October Thought Day 28: Holiday History

Talking about past candy scores made me think about Halloween’s past and how much things have changed. Change is inevitable, sometimes it can be painful, but it is interesting to see it progress. I remember that Halloween used to mean parents dressing up their kids and sending them out to get candy. Most of the time children were unsupervised or if they were it was with an older sibling. You went door to door in your neighborhood, got your candy and happily munched it without a care in the world. Then came the few bad apples that put dangerous things in the candy. So parents had to send the haul to a scanner before their kids could eat it. Then it got too dangerous to trick or treat so parents started taking their kids to the mall or churches or trunk or treats to keep them safe. Now most people go to an alternative Halloween affair, which is fun, but not the same as what I did as a kid.

It’s sad that in my short lifespan things have changed so drastically. In my mind that is craziness. Halloween has always been one way and to change it seems wrong. But has it really always been that way? I knew a little about the history of Halloween, but for the sake of this question I dug a bit deeper.

In the beginning, the time around what we now call Halloween was thought to be when the veil between worlds was thinnest and evil spirits could run amok. To confuse the evil spirits, people wore masks. If the spirit thought you were another beasty it would leave you alone. In the Middle Ages that morphed into people going door to door asking for soul-cakes for food. If they got a cake the recipient would promise to say a prayer for the giver’s departed family members. During that same time frame, the religious theme was compounded by people beginning to dress up in costumes, particularly those connected to biblical figures. These costumed people would roam the towns and tell bible stories as well as myths. This idea of mumming is partly responsible for the concept of trick-or-treating that we have now.

Trick or treating became popular in the US in the 30’s as a way to diminish youth causing mischief. The idea first took hold in the western US and then moved east. According to Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, “It began as a new year’s celebration and a Christian commemoration of the dead. Over time it has served as a harvest festival, a romantic night of mystery for young adults, an autumnal party for adults, a costumed begging ritual for children, a season for exploring fears in a controlled environment and most recently a heavily commercialized product exported by the US to the rest of the world.”

Having learned the history of my favorite holiday, it makes me wonder why people do it now. I have never met anyone who dressed up because they were trying to confuse evil spirits. I have never heard a trick-or-treater offer to pray for a family’s loved ones in exchange for candy. Do we participate because of national tradition and a sense that we have always done it so we just keep on keeping on? If I had to make a guess, I would say collectively it is done to go with the flow, for kids it’s because of candy and for adults it’s an excuse for a party. I think there are some out there who use it as a day of remembrance like me, but even I do it for the fun of dressing up and decorating. I also love the parties. It is a way to get ready for the coming winter, a no pressure way to practice for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s funny and a bit sad that something steeped in such tradition has become a watered down version of itself.  

So why do you celebrate the holiday, or do you?

October Thoughts Day 22: Sweet Memories

Have you ever been walking and stumbled upon a scent lingering in the air that made you stop in your tracks? A scent that caught you by complete surprise and triggered a memory or made you smile? That happened to me today. It was completely random. There was no way this particular smell should have been lingering, but it was, and sniffing it took me right back to my childhood.

I can't accurately describe the smell. It was a pleasant is about as close as I can come. It smelled like the candy my grandfather used to buy at the corner store when we went for walks. Since I know that much I should be able to describe if it had more caramel overtones or a chocolaty vibe, but the best that I can say is that I smelled a memory.

The minute my nose came into contact with that phantom scent I was instantly transported back to that corner grocery store with my grandfather. The particular goodies he liked came in bins and he would fill up a small plastic sack with a mixture and then we would walk home. Sometimes he even let me pick what went in the sack. There were chewy things like taffy but not. Candied orange wedges, spice drops, butterscotches, cinnamon bears and other hard candies. Hands down, the candies that went into that sack were the best candies I have ever eaten. Maybe it was because we walked a couple miles to get them. Maybe it was because of the company I was in, or the fact that my taste buds were younger. Either way, I have never been able to find those same candies since.

Sure, there are the modern day equivalents, but they just don't taste the same. They can still be found in bins and they may even be from the same company as when I first tried them, but they just don't taste right. That doesn't stop me from buying some whenever I come across them. Who knows, maybe this time I will find the magic one that tastes exactly as I remember.

That smell and those memories got me thinking about candy. On the radio last week the DJ took a poll of what were listeners favorite Halloween candies. Then at the retreat I went to, we had almost the same question. We had to pick from a list of four, which was our favorite Halloween candy. I was just as stumped then as I was the first time I heard the question.

I don't think I actually had or have a favorite. Ok, that isn't true, it will always be candy corn, but you really can't compare that to other Halloween candies, it's like the king high supreme ruler overlord of candies so for arguments sake we will leave it out of the equation.

I can keenly remember what I didn't like to get in my trick or treat bag. I wasn't fond of the houses that gave out health food. That's the equivalent of getting socks and underwear for Christmas. Sure, you may need them, sure, health food may be, you know, good for you, but you don't hand it out on holidays. That's like the dentists who give out toothbrushes. Major buzz kill. I also wasn't overly fond of popcorn balls. I like them more to play with than eat. They are just too messy.

I remember when I was done trick or treating, I would come home and put all my loot out on the floor. If it wasn't wrapped it went in the trash. If it was waxy like those lips or some of the really hideous caramels they also went in the trash. I sorted my candy by type, chocolate, fruity, gum, licorice, suckers, stuff I don't want and other. Once my piles were sorted I called my parents in and they took their cut of the loot. It worked out well. Most of the time my parents loved the things that I couldn't stand and I would happily hand them over. But when it came to the good stuff, I would haggle a bit.

If I had to narrow it down, I would say that my favorite Halloween candies would be the peanut butter cups and tootsie rolls. Wow. It is kind of sad that I can't remember what candy I liked as a kid. I know I had definite favorites, but tastes change and memories fade. I hated Almond Joys when I was little and now I love them. I also liked pixie sticks and now I can feel my teeth rotting just looking at them. If someone had given me a package of Red Vines back then I probably would have asked if they could adopt me. Twizzlers not so much. Cheap fruity knock offs.

Isn't it interesting what we remember. I have a fuzzy recollection that I liked the candy bars. I think probably Snickers and Hershey. Dad got the Mr. Goodbars and no one wanted the Krackle unless the candy supply was dwindling and it was the only chocolate left.

So now that I have put some semi serious thought into it, what was your favorite childhood candy? Or if you are having trouble remembering like me, what is your favorite candy now? And if you say chocolate you had better be more specific.

Day 31: The Last Hurrah

This is it. The big day has finally arrived and I am as giddy as a kid at Christmas. I have such high hopes for the day, I can't wait to see how it pans out. I have at least 4 costume changes planned. Ok, they aren't all costumes, some are holiday attire, but I'm still counting them as costume changes. Plus, it makes me sound a bit like a rock star.

For this final thought, it is only fitting that I talk about Halloween. It is the perfect way to end such a wonderful month.  I think all months should end with a celebration. When I become grand high chancellor of everything I will decree that such a thing happen. That and I will banish November. But for now I am content to celebrate what I have. I know that for some people, Halloween is a horrible holiday. And I respect that. Just like I respect the people that loath Valentines Day. But, I am obviously not one of the Halloween haters. I do hate how the carefree aspect of the holiday has been stripped away year after year, but that is besides the point. I love Halloween for its simplicity and joy. It is a time of family and imagination. A time of wonder and magic. It is the last hurrah before the weather gets cold and the pressures of the season rush in. It is a day where you get to be a kid again or at least let your inner child out to play.

But for all that, I also see Halloween as a day of remembrance. Halloween to me is like a memorial day for family and friends. It is a time when I take stock of those I have loved and lost and those I still have. It is a time to go and pay my respects and remember the dead. Call it macabre if you want to, but that is how I have felt ever since I was a kid. Halloween is a dichotomy. It is a time to morn those lost and to celebrate in the life still to live. It is a time to be somber and a time to be joyous. Maybe that is why I like it so much. It can't be pegged as just one thing. Though the candy part doesn't hurt either.

I am sad that kids today aren't having the same trick or treating experiences that I had as a child. I grew up right on the cusp of taking your candy hauls to the police so they could scan them. There was a fear, but not like there is today. I could run around to neighbors houses with my pillowcase or pumpkin bucket and not be scared. Now more and more people stop decorating and handing out candy and go to school, church or community functions instead. Which don't get me wrong, I am ALL for those events. I love them. I participate in them. But some of the magic is lost. Getting candy out of the back of someone's car is just boring and it borders on being creepy. Maybe I am just getting all curmudgeonly in my old age, but I like things how they used to be. When people really put on a spectacle and liked having kids come over to get candy.

I have never, ever had a trick or treater and if things keep going like they are, I never will. I find this enormously depressing. I hear friends complaining about how they run out of candy and how they get tired of answering the door and I just want to lecture them and tell them to count their blessings. Each year I fill up my candy bowl and wait. I feel a bit like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Each year I just KNOW that a trick or treater will show up and each year nothing. But like Linus I don't give up hope. This year will be different. I can feel it.

So revel in the day. Eat and drink copious amounts of pumpkin flavored something. Dress up with reckless abandon, hug those you love, send trick or treaters my way and above all have fun. This has been another wonderful October ride and I thank you for sharing it with me.